Just wanted to add - the "compulsive kissing" is a rattie trait!  Mine do that, too.  They really love their people.

Hi Paula,

Thank you so much!! Yeah I was thinking that spaying her would help out ... but now that it's getting to be spring, I bet she will really enjoy going out more often. I live in Utah where the winter has been really LONG and really brutal. But in the past, going for walks didn't really help her anxiety... So I don't know, then next step is for me to take her to the vet and have her looked over. I also bought these pills that are supposed to make your dog feel content.. I'm going to try them out and see if they help her at all, poor little thing.

She is such a smart dog that maybe she needs a little more of a challenge.. I'm just not sure how to give her that challenge or what kind of challenges she might need - I'll have to keep trying new things to figure it out.

Thank you so much for your suggestions!

~ Lonikayloni

Hi Hollie,

I'm not sure actually it was so long ago that I don't even remember the name of their little rattie farm.. I'll ask my husband, he might remember.

Cheers,

Loni

Thank you for the suggestion!!!

By agility what do you mean? Are you taking her to do some training of some sort or some events? Also, where are you looking or finding this type of stuff for your dogs?

Thanks again,

Loni

Thank you Lazerquest!!

I'm not sure what Rescue Remedy is, but I will definitely look into, it sounds really interesting. We were planning on breeding them (that's why we ended up purchasing the female) but the female is sooooo dominant that she will NOT let the male mount her - if you have any suggestions for this, please let me know.  WE would love to have little ratties running around and to get our own little papered breeding farm established as we do have the acreage.

Also, do you know of any animal groups or foundations that supply free spaying or neutering?

Thank you,

Loni

Thank you Lazerquest!!

I'm not sure what Rescue Remedy is, but I will definitely look into, it sounds really interesting. We were planning on breeding them (that's why we ended up purchasing the female) but the female is sooooo dominant that she will NOT let the male mount her - if you have any suggestions for this, please let me know.  WE would love to have little ratties running around and to get our own little papered breeding farm established as we do have the acreage.

Also, do you know of any animal groups or foundations that supply free spaying or neutering?

Thank you,

Loni

Hi Tauney,

So I would usually walk her for about a half hour to 45 minutes in the afternoon and that would be after she had been in the yard running around wrestling with my male rattie.. haha she is crazy! Maybe taking her on walks at night would help her out before bed, then she could rest more all through the night and feel more relaxed in the morning.

There are definitely different things that I could try to help the situation... She is so human like - you can see it in her face when she does something that she knows that we don't like, but it's like she can't help herself.. Poor little thing

Thank you!!!

Loni

Hi Cheryl,

The female doesn't like anything related to balls or frisbees.. in fact she is not interested in really anything other than rolling in stuff and jumping up on us and giving us non stop kisses as well as the other annoying things that I mentioned.. But she does have some interest in wrestling and she and I have some pretty good wrestling matches once in a while.. maybe some more one on one time is just what she needs.. she does crave more attention than the male and she receives it, but maybe it's not enough for her. 

And about the dogs being crated together.. I thought the same thing.. if I separated them at night then she would just get really upset and start barking like she was dying after about 3 minutes.  I don't know how she would be if I let her out to sleep in their little bed and left the male in the crate. He's so laid back and calm that I don't think he would mind one bit. I'll have to try that since she's more social and much more like a human then the male.

Thank you for your help!

Loni

Hi Erica,

That's not bad at all actually. I was working with my vet and he was talking more along the lines of $90 or more depending on things that might happen.  Thanks for the hint!!

Thanks,

Loni

oh I have a PROZAC_RATTIE too! from NC> wonder if they are related? Cash is from CedarCrest rat terriers's swinsons's terriers@theswinsons.org   and cash is out of there stud Jeb and he is hyper too! and LOVES to KISS!!!!! walking doesn't help either.....he won't even sleep w/ his bro's in bed w/ me he sleEps in the garage cause he JUST LIKES IT!he doesn't like the confinment of BED! eVen though he is crate trained he LIKES! to be on gard out there IN the crate so he can patrol...there he WILL sleep ALL night!!! HE IS NOT LOCKED IN! BUT WILL STAY IN ALL NIGHT! maybe your Gal is the same? cash is fixed too but it doesn't matter he is STILL hYPER!

Hi Mary Beth,

Do you have all rat terriers? Those are really cute names!!  I'm going to be setting up an appointment to have her completely looked over and then to have her spayed since she won't let our male dog mate with her  - Everyone on here has given us such good advice that I'm sure something will work. I must add that I love the kissing, in fact I"m a little addicted to is.. My male dog never kisses and if he does it seems like the most painful experience you could put him through.. hahah it's so funny how all dogs have such unique personalities.

Thank you,

Loni

haha, that's so funny - maybe it's something in the water in NC that makes them CRAZY HYPER... That's so cute that he likes to sleep in the garage... hmm I don't know if she would like the garage because she's such a princess, if I gave her the chance she would sleep in bed with me, but I don't like the hair and am a little allergic.. but I think that if she slept in her little dog bed without the male (rex) she might like that and I think I'm going to try that tonight actually.

I've nick named her thunder foot because she runs around the house at a gallop and makes so much noise that I couldn't resist... haha

That NC farm name does sound a little familiar, I asked my husband and he couldn't remember the name either.

Thanks and god bless the PROZAC_RATTIES out there!!! They keep us on our toes! hahah

STONEVILLE! right at Mc Michael H.S. is where they are they have bred for @ 30 years! look at the web site and you'll see Jeb and Cash! we liv'ed in greensboro before moving to california last Nov. Shamus is from D&M Rats in Ruffin! Shamus O'RILEY(out of Radar O'Riley) is Catatonic! but Domino & LACIE (out of lil'Rubin)are hyper!!!!@LOVE KISSES TOO!